The Goan Beat

10/12/2020

Schools can decide on closure period if COVID cases emerge...

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, on the other hand, stated that the schools should not allow those teachers to come and hold classes, whose family members have tested COVID positive.



https://thegoanbeat.in/schools-can-decide-on-closure-period-if-covid-cases-emerge/

09/12/2020

In a first, GMC harvests organs of brain dead person...
...“History was made at SOTTO Goa, truly a proud moment for the people of the state of Goa,” Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said.



https://thegoanbeat.in/in-a-first-gmc-harvests-organs-of-brain-dead-person/

09/12/2020

Big success: Kadio Bodio sold for the first time after getting GI tag
...There are about six stalls selling out the delicious and fresh Kadio Bodio which is being picked up like hot cakes by the passersby. Bhupendra Gaonkar from Chorao, who attends 20-25 fairs across Goa.


https://thegoanbeat.in/big-success%e2%80%88kadio-bodio.../

09/12/2020

Morjim, Mandrem, Agonda and Galjibag to be declared as Silent Zones
..The High Court, in September, last year, directed GCZMA to prepare a management plan for protection of the turtle nesting sites within the next three months.


https://thegoanbeat.in/morjim-mandrem-agonda-and-galjibag-to-be-declared-as-silent-zones/

05/12/2020

President to attend cultural event in Goa on Liberation Day
.. Making the announcement at a press conference after attending a meeting of the state-level monitoring committee held at the secretariat, Sawant said the President will participate in the inaugural function of a cultural programme to be held on December 19, 2020 at the Panaji Gymkhana ground.



https://thegoanbeat.in/president-to-attend-cultural-event-in-goa-on-liberation-day/

05/12/2020

Sanguem police station among 10 best in India
... The list was released in accordance with the Prime Minister’s direction to the Directors General of Police (DGPs) during the 2015 conference in Kutch, Gujarat, to set the parameters for grading the police stations and assessing their performance based on the feedback.



https://thegoanbeat.in/sanguem-police-station-among-10-best-in-india-ranks-5th/

03/12/2020

Goa State Industrial Association too opposes three controversial infra projects
.. “The power line will cut through forestlands. The total present load of the state is about 550 MVA, and therefore there is no justification to get a separate line of 440 KVA,” the GSIA explained.



https://thegoanbeat.in/gsia-too-opposes-three-controversial-infra-projects/

02/12/2020

Govt rolls out OTS scheme for power consumers
...The scheme can be available from December 1 to December 31, 2020, for online registration for the electricity consumers. Consumers can opt for payment in installments from one month to up to six months.



https://thegoanbeat.in/govt-rolls-out-ots-scheme-for-power-consumers/

02/12/2020

Govt invites public inputs on draft State Action Plan for Climate Change
.. “It is also exposed to sea-level rise, storms, high-speed wind, altered runoff, changed wave pattern and sea temperature in addition to the other threats like rainfall and temperature profile changes,”



https://thegoanbeat.in/govt-invites-public-inputs-on-draft-state-action-plan-for-climate-change/

02/12/2020

Wetland tag to 5 Goan lakes!
... If the proposal is approved, Goa will have six sites protected nationally. Bondvoll lake in St Cruz was the first to be declared as a wetland under the central Wetland Rules.


https://thegoanbeat.in/wetland-tag-to-5-lakes-public-suggestions-objections-sought/

30/11/2020

..........“on behalf of the people of Goa, I write to you in anxiety that the future of Old Goa faces the risk of heightened development as a result of administrative policies of the government of Goa. This is a protest we are not willing to give up on, and I urge the international cultural community to stand united with the people of Goa to defend and preserve the future of our history.” - Vijay Sardessai, GFP Chief.

Goa Forward Party (GFP) president Vijai Sardesai has written to UNESCO and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) informing of the state government’s decision to include the village of Ella, Old Goa under the Greater Panaji Planning and Development Authority, saying such a move ...

10/11/2020

19/10/2020

14/10/2020

... but what is Fama of Menino Jesus? Famous feast of scenic Goan village called Colva.

Know more: https://thegoanbeat.in/fama-de-menino-jesus-de-colva/

14/10/2020

...the situation is made all the more worse for girls who have to sit atop the hill in the remote areas to attend online classes.

Due to poor internet connectivity in remote villages, the students residing in the wards of Kumbhari, Dongor, Villian and Potrem are forced to travel to dangerous hilly areas to get connectivity for their online class.

14/10/2020

Two children from Goa, Yug Dalvi and Fia Fernandes have been ranked amongst the top 20 in the country’s largest training program ‘Coding Pathshala 2020’

Jabalpur Smart City Incubation Center conducted by Young Indians, working on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Self-reliant India', organized 21 sessions of an online coding school for children between the ages of six to 16 years in the country.

From Goa, total 48 students enrolled in the training programme and at the end of it, each one had their app uploaded to Google Play Store.

Visit: www.thegoanbeat.in for more updates.

13/10/2020

01/10/2020

26/09/2020

Rucha Joshi Paradkar, from Sankhali, is among the 19 young Indian scientists and innovators who are attending the 5th edition of Young Scientists Conclave hosted in Russia on a virtual platform.

She is selected for BRICS Young Scientist Forum 2020 in the Artificial Intelligence category to represent India.

20/09/2020

Meet Gaurav Awasthi from Caranzalem has equalled the highest score by a Goan student at the test. He has attained a score of 426 out of 450 at the BITSAT, the entrance exam to get into one of the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) campuses.
“I am a bit unsure about my stream at present. But I want to go for either electrical or aerospace engineering.”

16/09/2020

Webinar on "ORGANIC FARMING" organised by Botanical Society of Goa in association with Agricos Alumni Association - Goa

20 September 2020
4:00 - 5:00 pm

Registration Link - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdI6H8kJRWx9N4seZ9xO1LIQ_h9KLjID-WAyaedFD53x6HnTg/viewform

Registrations open till 19 September 6:00 pm

07/09/2020

"Stitch In Time" - Initiative to enable women affected due to COVID-19 to be entrepreneur. The opportunity was presented to them by Anyay Rahit Zindagi (ARZ), the nodal NGO for Goa Police’s anti-trafficking unit, in a collaborative effort with artist Harshada Sonak.

“By working as a maid, I was earning around Rs 10,000 a month. Post-Covid, three employers discontinued my services, afraid I may carry the virus. My monthly earning reduced to Rs 2,000 and it got very difficult to get by,” said Archana.

“My husband is a sub-contractor, who took up painting work. Due to Covid, since the last five months, he is without any work. We were quite stressed about how we would manage. Now this job, suits my requirement as I can work from home and as per my convenience,” said Anita, a mother of three children aged 19, 15 and 2.

'Stitch In Time' meaning "Timely Step", is a project having dual purpose, to revive the tradition of hand-stitching by using recycled clothes and to assist in the betterment of the socio-cultural and economic status of marginalised women in Goa.

18/08/2020

State festival Ganesh Chaturthi is just around the corner and due to global pandemic this year, many Hindus in Goa have opted to go for DIY clay Ganesh adhering to festival SOP.

Also Pandits are offering services of virtual pujas and e-garhane (prayer) for their yajmans (patrons) this year. Purohit associations in the state have decided against visiting homes to conduct pujas during the festival.

With all these restrictive SOPs in place and social distancing norms, it will only be prudent to take solace from this verse and limit the celebrations to the bare minimum. Purohits suggest to do all the rituals yourself, pour all your feelings into them, keep other superfluous stuff aside, and you will please Ganesha like never before.

17/08/2020

Siolim resident Major Clifford Franco D’Souza, you made us proud!

He has been awarded the Northern Command Army Commanders Commendations Card (Gallantry) for his role in an operation to uncover a terrorist hideout in the Kashmir valley. The operation also helped the Indian Army capture a terrorist.

An IT engineer by profession, he later joined the Indian Army in 2010. He joined the Maratha Light Infantry regiment and was even posted as an instructor with 5 Marathan Light Infantry.

10/08/2020

Bicholim youth along with Chennai alumnus developed a social distancing device.

IIM-Bengaluru student Saish Kapadi, who hails from Bordem, Bicholim along with a friend from IIT-Chennai alumnus Venktesh Ashtekar from Pune developed a sensor devices to help people maintain requisite social distance in public. They have used off-the-shelf components, like car reverse parking sensors. The device indicates the exact distance that should be maintained between two person. It can be used at retail shops, banks, clinics, medical stores, RTO offices, religious place and post office, religious place and post offices among others places. They have also developed a body device for personal safety. It can be worn like a hat or a belt.

06/08/2020

Satish H. Bind son of news paper seller scored 89% marks in SSC exam. He also stood first in Mata Secondary School in Baina Vasco.

His day used to starts very early as he helped his father in door delivery of news paper before going to school.

wishes him a bright future.

06/08/2020

Global warming is real!

Agonda Beach slowly changing it's shoreline.

05/08/2020

Konsachem Fest starts today!

The first village to celebrate the harvest feast is Raia village on August 5, followed by the villages of Aldona and Salvador do Mundo on August 6.

The festivities lasts for four days:

Day one, villagers are awoken at dawn by a brass band ‘Alvorada de Musica’, that makes its way though the main streets of the village. The president of the feast and his family are brought to church under a colourful ceremonial umbrella. The villagers gather here before his arrival. The group then move to the field. A priest first says a short prayer and then the first sheaves are cut by the President using a silver sickle. These sheaves are then distributed among the villagers.

Day two, the President distributes pounded rice ‘fov’ among the gaonkars (villagers) families while being accompanied by drummers and trumpeters.

Day three, the president in the evening offers the parish priest a tray of ‘fov’.

Day four, a committee of gaonkars (villagers) carry ‘fov’ and sheaves of paddy stalk to the Se Cathedral for it to be blessed. A high mass is celebrated here. The representatives then proceed to Altinho (Place in Panaji Goa) and offer the blessed sheaves and ‘fov’ to the archbishop and then to the governor of Goa. It is a gesture of love and goodwill by the villagers.

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05/08/2020

Our prayers and thoughts are with the people of Lebanon. On top of the meltdown they were already suffering, this is the worse that anyone could have imagined. Almighty give them strength. As a solidarity in humanity

04/08/2020

Red flags about brown activity in a green zone. The Mollem controversy is now on continuous boil. People of Goa, especially the younger generation that has charged the campaign, want all three projects fried. Please do not keep your voice out of the protests.



https://indianexpress.com/article/india/goa-forest-mollam-power-line-raipur-6538106/

Rs 1,500-crore power transmission network for supply from Chhattisgarh to Goa, a 400kV line crossing the Western Ghats through Karnataka.

03/08/2020

Partially visually impaired and raised by single parent scores 72.3% at the Class X exams!

Chetana Shahapurkar, a student of Mushtifund High School, secured 72.3% in her class X exams, she wants to pursue graduation in the arts stream.
She lost her father at a young age and is being raised by a single parent Hemangi.

31/07/2020

Last Day August 2, 2020. Kindly sign it.

31/07/2020

Dielle da Silva from Navelim who was diagnosed with spastic diplegia and dyslexia secured a distinction with 84% at the recently held Goa Board SSC examination, Dielle took a break after Std. IX as her father and grandmother had passed away and she was going through an emotional phase.

31/07/2020

KHAJE! The traditional Goan sweet found at every temple and church fair across the state, received the Geographical Indication (GI).

The Bicholim-based All-Goa Khaje Producers Association (AGKPA) applied for the tag through the department of science and technology a year ago.

The notification states that what gives the khaje its unique taste is the Goan ginger, local salt and potable well water that goes into making the sweet. “It originated centuries ago in Goa,” the notification states.

The sweet is also referred to as kaddio-boddio due to its thin, long shape. The khaje is a fried sweet prepared with chickpea flour, ginger, jiggery and sesame seeds with the shape of finger-sized stick.

30/07/2020

100% visually impaired Nympha Fernandes scored 73.3% at the Class X exam.

The Benaulim resident will now pursue her dream of becoming a historian. Nympha had to reside 40km away from home at the National Association for Blind (NAB) in Santa Cruz and during Covid-19 pandemic situation, she had to travel all the way from Benaulim.

“I had expected to score at least 80%. But I have no regrets,” said Nympha, who also wants to continue her passion for singing, helped by her own Youtube channel.

Check out her beautiful voice on her own YouTube channel. Shower some love by subscribing her channel! https://youtu.be/4dfXNN_6RVk

25/07/2020

Nag Panchami will be observed today, July 25. It is one of the oldest festivals celebrated across India including Goa, during the rainy season in the holy month of Shravan. Yes the festival of 'PATOLI/PATOLEO'. That lip smacking rice dumpling steamed on turmeric leaves!

But let's look at this festival in detail. As the name suggests, the day is dedicated to the snake god. Celebrated in Shravan month, People make snake idols with clay at home for puja. Milk, turmeric, kumkum, flowers and milk are also sometimes kept near the burrows and holes where snakes may be found.

There are primarily two mythological beliefs. 1. It is believed that the festival began when Takshak, the king of snakes, stalked King Janamejaya's father Pariksh*t and killed him. To avenge his death, King Janamejaya conducted a yajna to eliminate the entire Naga caste. The day the yagna was stopped due to the intervention of the Brahmin Astika Rishi is celebrated as Nag Panchami.
2. It is also believed that on the day of Nag Panchami, Lord Krishna killed Kaliya Nag to save the lives of the people of Gokul.

Note: Snakes or any reptiles doesn't consume milk or any dairy product.

22/07/2020

Did you know Goa is home to a rare species of ant?

About 2.5mm long ant has been discovered in Goa’s and is named ’s Protanilla, after professor Vaibhav Chindarkar, head of the zoology department at the Government College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Sakhali. It was a tribute to the professor for having inspired the rise of several well-known wildlifers from Goa.

Researcher Pronoy Baidya, whose state-wide survey of ants the amber-coloured species was discovered is among a rare group of ants called Protanilla, of which only 12 species were previously known. It is completely blind and relies only on chemical signals

20/07/2020

Do you celebrate Gatari Amavasya or Deep Amavasya (New Moon)?

Tonight is Ashadh Amavasya i.e. last day of the Ashadh Month of Hindu lunar calendar. 'Deep Puja' is performed tonight.

Why do Hindus perform Deep Puja? Well, as per ancient belief and practice, the flame of the lamp is the symbol of fire and Deep Puja is performed to express gratitude to Agni (Fire element).

Men and women clean and collect the lights in the house and draw Rangoli (traditional décor art) around them. Desi Ghee (clarified butter) ideally used for lighting lamps, Sweet dish is offered and the lamp is prayed with the Sanskrit mantra.

दीप सूर्याग्निरूपस्त्वं तेजसां तेज उत्तमम् ।
गृहाण मत्कृतां पूजां सर्वकामप्रदो भव ॥

Means, “O Deep (light), you are the sun and the fire. You are the best of the brightest. Accept my worship and fulfill all my desires”.

It finds importance in Hindu spiritual practice. The Raj-Tam (negative) energy covering around the lamp is destroyed by the radiant waves and the disturbing energy working in the atmosphere around the lamp hence many Diya’s are lit in fullness.

It is also a very auspicious day for Pind Pradhan/Pithru Tharpan (forefather’s debt - highly important in sanatan practice) as it is believed pitru devatas are highly active. Moreover, the Karma (deeds) will reach the destiny and largely provide peace to forefathers and ancestors souls. It is also considered perfect time for any kind of charity or auspicious ritual.

So where did Gatari Amavasya come from? Since Shravan months starts from the second day of Ashadh Amavasya and it is particularly considered as a holy month by the Hindus, people abstain from meat and alcohol during that time. Hence some people resort to Meat and alcohol consumption on last day of Ashadh Amavasya till they are sloshed in ‘Gutter’ (Symbolic), they term the occasion as Gatari (Gutter) Amavasya.

Our take: We at fully respect one’s food and beverage choice as long as it doesn’t affect the individual or the society. But using someone’s pious religious belief to practice selfish motive, calling the occasion disrespectfully and promoting it actively as fun is highly unpleasant.

Kindly share this to raise awareness!

20/07/2020

Dont Buy Trouble

Illegal wildlife trade has evolved into a complex activity, estimated to be worth at least USD15 billion per year globally. The WWA Special Issue on Illegal Wildlife Trade in India highlights the different aspects of this money making practice leading to species depletion.

Illegal wildlife trade is one of team's major concerns and along with its wildlife crime monitoring division. WWA-India has been working closely with the state governments as well as other enforcement agencies to help study, monitor and influence action to curb illegal wildlife trade in the country.

India is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. Its porous borders allows for a wide range of products such as mongoose hair, snake skins, rhino horn, tiger and leopard claws, bones, skins, whiskers, elephant tusks, deer antlers, shahtoosh shawl, turtle shells, musk pods, bear bile, medicinal plants, timber and caged birds such as parakeets, mynahs, munias to be trafficked. This is endangering many of its species, including the iconic tiger, the rhino and smaller species such as the pangolin and others.

India has a strong legal and policy framework to regulate and restrict wildlife trade. Trade of over 1800 species of wild animals, plants and their derivatives, is prohibited under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Through this campaign we are trying to put a stop to this illegal trade and also create awareness among society regarding these endangered species.

We alone cannot put an end to this illegal practice. Citizens play a major role in reporting such activities and that's where YOU can help by informing us about these illegal trades! You can Whatsapp on 8080612930 for reporting and putting an end to this terrible practice.

Via Wildlife Welfare Association